Leigh and Paula - Welcome to the group! Kick your shoes off and have a cup of chocolate milk with us.

snerb - Welcome back.

linus - Looking forward to seeing you in Lafayette.

It was nearly 40 degrees at 5:00 this morning. I tried to run an easy 5K, but I have trouble running slow when I'm alone. 28:53. It's overcast, so the city lights reflecting from the clouds provided enough light to run by once I got off the streets.

Ran a new route today, 3.25 miles. Cold weather is killing my time as I ran a 9:19 pace. Not awful but not my usual time. ANyone else notice they ran a much fast pace during races compared to training? I mean my race pace is usually a full minute (per mile) faster than my training pace!

3.35 mi. at 6 am. Wore hat with lights but it was very dark. Could only see directly in front, couldn't even see the sides of the road. Only really ran 2 mi. but when I decided to turn back I was lost.Ended up at the bottom of a one mile incline. Once I was dressed, my nose was still running and I was coughing. This leads to my latest crisis. I have these goals and this memory that I liked running but I really enjoyed having time off and am scared I won't or don't want to train to meet the goals. A bit of this might come from the depression I get when I don't run. Depression lies. Has anyone had experience with overcoming a lack of motivation?

Leigh, I always race at least a minute faster pace. You can and should once in a while train at your race pace but it's also good to train at the slower paces and easier to build distance at slower rates. A couple of the guys here were forcing themselves to run slower. Perhaps they could tell you about how that worked.

Thanks, Dan for the great diet advice! I also know someone who swears he cured his anemia by removing gluten. Don't know if I can be that disciplined. I'll think on it.

NHLA - Congrats on placing in the 5k with nasty trail conditions!! I can't imagine anyone faster. And then you go for a 13 mi run. You really love a challenge, don't you? Cringing still thinking of the woman hanging. Many runs on St.Patty's day and that may have something to do with getting a reason to drink.

JM, Congrats on your race!!, also, particularly sticking it out through the cold!! Awesome time!!! I asked about your age because I was convinced youth was a factor in your speed but I was wrong. Amazing accomplishments!!

Degreg, 12 miler is a great cold recovery!! Dayum!!

Linus, you're doing a great job of fitting runs in with all your travels. Good luck to you and OC on the QQ!!! Love yoga!

OC, Congrats on the new job and smashing your PR!! Awesome!! Hang on. Even the good times can overwhelm a person. Life will right itself in time.

NRDGirl, I am with you on the Bling!! Great medal board!! I bought a Buff merino wool neck gaitor that I love. It's a seamless tube of light weight stretchy fabric that sits on my neck and that can be used as a hood with a mouth mask or without. It has been very comfortable over my mouth because it's so light.

OGE44, Good job on the NYE race!!

FrancessMom, Loved your Titanic recount!!

Mel, "strong 10 mi." Awesome!! I never thought to cover my mouth to help with the breathing problems. Just did it because it felt good.

Jeff, you. are. funny !! Good job on miles!! I need to volunteer, also. It should be a great chance to prepare for a "next step" race and give back.

So something I had written here was the culprit. I have no idea what or why.

Deb, great fall! Love that you're not injured. There's an art to falling and we often lose it with age unless we have to deal with ice a lot. Good job!!

Jm and Deb, i've also been dealing with a iron deficiency for years with shots. When the drug store runs out, I switch to pills under the tongue. Doctor, who we all agree needs to be replaced, says it's just age related and can't be reversed. When I hear that, I think, "this hasn't been important enough to research for a cause yet and you're better off asking folks who have dealt with it."

If you focus on external input you will run 1 min per mile faster than if you focus on internal input. In a race you are focused on external inputs such as time, mile markers, and other runners. When you are training you tend to daydream and run slower. Find a way to focus while you are training so you can train at race pace.

5 miles on the Treadmill on Monday, my right knee is hurting so I iced it after the run but today's actually worse than it has been. This does not please me. The cold doesn't please me either so it's been almost exclusively TM work for me. This coming Saturday, though, we are forecasted to be near 40 degrees so I'll be watching conditions (some light rain in forecast too which may freeze on roads/sidewalks over night) and keeping my fingers crossed for an outdoor run.

Congratulations to all on your great runs and races! WOOHOO to you all!

NRDGirl your run along the river sounds beautiful. I'd love those paved trails.

JeffCT - volunteering is a lot of fun. Last summer my friend and I helped with food setup then were sent out to the course to assist with crowd-wrangling and cheering. Once everyone passed our spot we walked to where the lollipop course met back up with itself and cheered some more. We walked with the final racer back to the finish line. It was her first race ever, she was a walker and had a goal time of under 45 min. She made it and was beaming so bright it was wonderful to witness.

mkayc - re: lack of motivation, YES I've dealt with it over and over. One thing I found helpful was actually on my non-running cross-training workouts. I switched out one day of solo weight training for a class with others. Being with a group and getting to know some of them has helped my mood in general so the running came back too. Winter depresses me all around so I just have to force myself to get on that treadmill and put in the time, kind of a "fake it til you make it" approach. Something else that will help motivate you is actually trying to mentor someone else. A newbie's enthusiasm is contagious

Ran with heavy heart today. 3.15 miles in 25.5 minutes. Running away from your difficulties doesn't work but runnng with them makes them easier to bear. I had my 13yo DD to pediatrician today for headaches ( 4 to 7 a week). Diagnosis is migraines which we can manage with diet changes etc.. Also had dr check out a bump on her inner left knee. I knew it was bad when he pulled out the measuring tape. He called it a chondroma and advised seeing an orthopedist. Xray and appt tomorrow at 11 am. This is my Frances - tournament fast-pitch softball pitcher, Junior Olympic swimmer. She was furoius that I mentioned it to dr since she has no pain or problems with it. She stated that she will not have surgery - no way, no how. I hope it turns out to be nothing, but I am a pediatric nurse and can't stop thinking about the "what if's".

mkayc - I find if I make small easy short term goals it helps my motivation. So instead of thinking about doing a HM in May, just focus on running two days this week. Rewards are also good - a new pair of running gloves, hat etc, when a short term goal is acheived. But make sure you are better first! Running is hard when you can't breathe!

Stay healthy, warm and happy!

Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall.Confucius

Hey All, - Just an ok TM day for me. 4.00 miles at 9:31 pace. Which is pretty fast for me. Didnt feel great the whole time. I normally run on an empty stomach, and today I didnt. Ive run 5 days in a row - not sure if I'll take tomorrow off or not.

MKC - yes! Felt that lack of motivation often. One thing I love about running, is that by doing ANYTHING I have beaten the couch. or the depression. Even if I put my shoes on, even if I step foot on the trail, even if I only do 1 mile. These are the thoughts I run with. As OC said, the winter is just plain depressing. Heres the good news. By end of January, Sunrise will be 7:00am and sunset at 5:00pm. That will be an extra 45 minutes than where we are today! (it will still be cold, but daylight is returning!)

Leigh - that 9:19 time sounds good to me. Cant wait to hear what your normal time is.

Francessmom- I am really sorry to hear about the checkup. I hope F is ok. I know what you are talking about with being a pedi nurse, I am a Respiratory Therapist - sometimes you know too much. I will be praying that everything is fine.

OC- I figured out what one Im gonna volunteer at this year. Its the same 5K that was my first race in 2012. I'll pay my $20 to run, and if they dont need me, I'll run. Its a PTO organized event, and I dont normally help out with the PTO, so this may save 2 birds with one move (who wants to kill birds with stones?).

NHLA- I like your "external focus" - you are right, when im alone, I daydream. I also have more time to internalize "boo hoo im tired" but when Im racing Im thinking "ok, got to stay ahead of that one. Maybe I can catch that one. Keep this pace. Sprint."

MKC- glad to see the posts are working. Dont know what that post would cause you so many problems. Maybe you should try the "reply to original post" at the bottom of the page. Just a thought.

Got back on it today after taking a couple days off to allow some type of GI virus (minor, but aggravating) to clear. Did a full set of strength/core XRs, then ran a 4 mile progressive run, doing the final mile at 8.6 mph. The whole 4 miles was with the incline at 2.0. Time was 29:03 (7:16).

Tomorrow is wife's hip surgery. She goes in at 7 a.m. and won't be out until around 11 or 11:30. The weather is supposed to be nice, so I think I'll take advantage of the time and Portland's Back Cove trail (note: Melody). I see people running it all the time when I'm down there, but I've never done it.

NRDgirl: That's quite a set of medals you've collected, and a nice gift to hang them on!!!

LeighDS.... No matter how fast I think I'm training (especially on the TM, where I can tell how fast I'm going), I ALWAYS seem to run faster in my races.

JeffCT... OK, for a somewhat ill-humored joke, dress as an anchor for your dip.

Francessmom.... Best wishes for a healthy finding for Frances.

NHLA.... Thanks for the info.

MKay... Yeah, it's the winter blahs. I've been in a funk a couple times lately when I knew I should have been running. Like Jeff said, I just keep telling myself to get up, put the shoes on, stretch, turn on the TM power, hook up the mp3, and then the final hurdle -- hit the START button. Once I do that, I'm usually OK. Then I feel a LOT better logging my workouts.

Oshcat... What was your incline set at for your TM run? Does your knee usually hurt after that distance? That speed? That incline?

Coyote.... No animal sighting report!!! But good-sounding run, even if you did want to take it easy. If your body felt it was an easy run, don't worry about the time.

Thanks guys for the great suggestions!! I am feeling better today. It may have been a combination of residual illness, low energy and winter blahs. I HATE when that happens, when I act on the symptoms of my mood before I actually realize how poorly I am feeling. I'll be using all your suggestions this week to make it through the next couple days and then will be back on track. We have some gorgeous weather here, too, right now even though it was raining earlier.

NHLA - focus? Makes total sense! If I could do that though, I might not be running. Am an ADD poster child but I'll try to keep it in mind with all the detritus that swims up from the bowels of my brain while I'm running.

Jeff, you had me laughing with "save 2 birds with one move". Never actually pictured knocking them out of the sky but now I can see it quite clearly. Thank you for that. I tried all kinds of tricks to post. Finally tampered with the offending text enough to get it up. I took out "B-12" and "serum" and "injections". This site is just hinky.

Oshcat, sorry about the knee. I've got one yelling at me, too. Don't know what to say other than I hope it goes away. (the pain)

FrancesMom, I am hoping the best for your daughter!! Let us know what they find?

Good news and great news. Got to run outdoors today during DW's surgery. It was cold, and the paved trail was plowed, but still ice/snow covered. It was kind of rutty with footprints, but it was OK for a slow run. I ran the 3.6 mile loop twice, warming up (sunny/20 degrees) after the first loop. Total about 7.2 miles, 1:01:13. And I felt great after.

Now the great news: DW didn't need a lot of work on her hip. They just repaired the torn labrum (it wasn't too bad), and scraped down a burr in her hip socket that was scraping when she moved her leg too far. That and removed a small cyst that was developing on her bone, probably from the irritation. Her full recovery should be in the three-month range rather than the 4-6 months range. And she feels really good about the whole thing now.

Supposed to be warm tomorrow (35 or so), so I may try another outdoor run.

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